Leaders in politics and business are gathering in the mountain resort of Davos in Switzerland ahead of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting.
It starts on Tuesday 22 January, and will wrap up on Friday 25 January.
What’s on the agenda?
‘Globalization 4.0: Shaping a Global Architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution’ is the theme this year.
According to the World Economic Forum’s website, it picks up on two major trends – global cooperation challenges, and changes as a result of the high-tech digital revolution.
Professor Klaus Schwab, Founder and Chief Executive of the World Economic Forum, explained:
“This fourth wave of globalization needs to be human-centred, inclusive and sustainable. We are entering a period of profound global instability brought on by the technological disruption of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the realignment of geo-economics and geopolitical forces.
“We need principals from all stakeholder groups in Davos to summon the imagination and commitment necessary to tackle it,” he added.
The theme will be explored over 350 sessions
The conversations covered will include geopolitics in a multiconceptual world, the future of the economy, industry systems and technology policy, risk resilience to promote systems thinking, human capital and society, and global institutional reform.
Who is attending?
The meeting will host more than 3,000 participants from 115 economies.
Britain’s Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, is attending to discuss his work on mental health, another key topic this year.
Sir David Attenborough will also be there as a Crystal Award winner, recognised for harnessing culture to promote positive change.
Political leaders attending include:
Ueli Maurer, President of the Swiss Confederation 2019 and Federal Councillor of Finance of Switzerland
Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan
Jair Bolsonaro, President of Brazil
Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor of Germany
Wang Qishan, Vice-President of the People’s Republic of China
Giuseppe Conte, Prime Minister of Italy
Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain
Barham Salih, President of Iraq
Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Sebastian Kurz, Federal Chancellor of Austria
Ivan Duque, President of Colombia
Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minster of Ethiopia
Leo Varadkar, Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland
Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel
Faiez Al Serrag, Prime Minister of Libya
Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands
Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand
Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Norway
Rami Hamdallah, Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority
Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda
Cyril M. Ramaphosa, Prime Minister of South Africa
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of Uganda
Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of Vietnam
Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe
Leader figures from global charities will also be attending, including Winnie Byanyima, executive director of Oxfam International, Jennifer Morgan, executive director of Greenpeace International – and Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch.
